Artificial Intelligence and Augmentative and Alternative Communication AAC

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Visual Impairment

In brief

The overarching objective of this project is to transform access to assistive communication technologies (augmentative and alternative communication) for individuals with motor disabilities and/or visual impairment, for whom natural speech is not meeting their communicative needs. These individuals often cannot access traditional augmentative and alternative communication because of their restricted movement or visual function. However, most such individuals have idiosyncratic body-based means of communication that is reliably interpreted by familiar communication partners. The project will test artificial intelligence algorithms that gather information from sensors or camera feeds about these idiosyncratic movement patterns of the individual with motor/visual impairments. Based on the sensor or camera feed information, the artificial intelligence algorithms will interpret the individual's gestures and translate the interpretation into speech output. For instance, if an individual waves their hand as their means of communicating "I want", the artificial intelligence algorithm will detect that gesture and prompt the speech-generating technology to produce the spoken message "I want." This will allow individuals with restricted but idiosyncratic movements to access the augmentative and alternative communication technologies that are otherwise out of reach.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06599996

Run by

Penn State University

People needed

6

Starts

2024-09-24

Expected to finish

2025-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-06-03

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Have motor impairment, which can present in diverse/multiple ways, including spasticity, ataxia, or dystonia (these types of movement disorders are different from one another, and can result from diverse genetic conditions or injury to the brain before or shortly after birth, and generally all fall under the umbrella term cerebral palsy or movement disorder). Note: Presence of intellectual disability in addition to motor disability is not an exclusionary criteria, meaning that we will include both individuals with intact intellectual ability as well as those with intellectual disability
• Can/will tolerate a small biosensor (about the size of a medallion) attached to a limb (for instance, wrist or elbow) embedded within a soft wrist band

You may not qualify if…

• Do not have motor disabilities
• Cannot tolerate a small biosensor (about the size of a medallion) attached to a limb (for instance, wrist or elbow) with a soft wrist band

Where it is running

• The Pennsylvania State University — University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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